Ignition-timer.



L. B. SHIVERS.

IGNITION TIMER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 190s.

\ 9E. 1952?. Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

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v I attenua? LORENZO B. SHIVERS, OF ANGLESEA, NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION -TIMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application fled .Tune 17, 1908. Serial No. 438,910. v

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatA I, LORENZO B. vuSiirvnns, a

j citizen of the United States, residing at Anglesea, in the county of Cape May and State of' New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition-Timers, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to electrical spark ignition timers for internal' combustion engines, and particularly to current making and breaking timers in which a rotatable elementcoacts with a fixed concentric shell provided with contact pieces with which the rotatable element makes and breaks connection.

The obj ect of my invention is to provide a timer of this character to beused in jump 'spark ignition in which there shall be less wear on the internal surface of the fixed element and in which the wear shall be more evenly divided, thus-providing for a better contact'and preventing the wearingof the internal surface of the timer int ridges.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the length of contact to correspond to a higher or lower rate of speed in the en- T18. glMy invention consists broadly in interposing between the rotatable element and the exterior concentric fixed element, a free, rotatable conducting ring actuated by the rotatable element to move against the face of the fixed element and to have a rolling contact therewith.I 1 1 It also consists in the provision of a bushing, projecting beyond the bottom of i the timer casing, and acting to hold a layer of oil within the casing. y

In the drawings, Figure 11, is a plan view of a timer constructed according to my invention, the cover being removed, and Fig. 2, is a diametrical section.

1 Like reference characters throughout the views designate like parts.

A designates a shell or casing of any suitable'constructiompreferably of metal formed withan annular wall a and the projecting4 tubular bearing a made in one piece therewith. f

B designates a cover of the usual construction adapted to t upon and to beattached to the casing by clamping nuts() and bolts C in the usual manner. This cover should have an oil-tightJ engagement with the casing. i

Lining Vthe interior of the wall a and rest;

ing on the bottom .of .the casing or shell A 1s the insulating ring D otiber or other like material, up through which the bolts C' project. Passing through the insulating ring D from the exterior of the wall a are the con- 'tact pieces E made in the form o f, centact' screws from the metallic wall a.

.vide for the attachment of the usual Aelectrical connections.

Mounted within the bearing a is the rotatable spindle` H which is adapted to be attachedby the socket H and set screw H to av half-time shaft of the usual construction and operation. The upper end of the spindle H is provided with a transverse slot I in which is located a radially estending shiftable arm J which at its outer end carriesva roller K preferably of steel. This in most timers is adapted to contact with the `inside face of the insulating ring D and to electrically connect with and move against the contact pieces inserted in the insulating ring F. My construction however provides for a ring L preferably of steel, smaller than the inner circumference of the ring D. but

large enough to surround the .roller K and the upper end of the spindle I. This ring is perfectly free to move and to be rotated with a rolling. Contact against the interior face ot' the insulating ring F upon the rotation of the arm J. It is of course to be understood thatthe bottom vof the ring is open and that the ring rests upon the bottom of the casino' A. The ring is of a height equal to the height of the insulating ring F, and contacts lfully therewith when the roller K bears against it.

In detail the upper end of the spindle H is slotted from one point of its circnmference to a diametrically opposite point,

and the arm J moves freely #within this slot. The `upperend -of the spindle above the slot I is cut away as at to per- Init the projection of a pin M which is fast in the rear end' of the arm J. A pin N projects from the end of the spindle and is fast thereto, andthe pins M and N are connected lby a spring O whereby the arm J is forced outward so thatrthe roller K will be kept in constant contact with the inner surface of the ring L and c hstantly acts to 'hold this ring tightlyagainst the inner face ofthe insulating ring I).

The arm J iscutaway onits underside where it projects beyond the spindle H for the accomniod'ation'of the roller K. This roller is mountedupon a fixed shaft c hav ing a head 1bA at one vend and screwed at its y other end into ther projection j of the arm J In order that the ring L may move with perfect freedom,-with asl little friction as possible and may make a good contact with the contact piecesE, I provide means whereby a'constant level'of oil maybe vkept within the lshell or casing A, and to this end I provide a bushing P which lines the interior face of the bearing a and projects upward beyond the bottom of the casing A, thus forming in 'some sort a dam preventing the outow of the oil from the casing downward betweenv the surface ofthe spindle H and 'the interior surface of the bearing.

As -will be seen from Fig. '2, the upper end of the spindle H where it projects into the casingvAv is diametrically enlarged,and

the undersideV of this enlargement is formed lower edge ofthe casing A.

upper Aface of the ring bearing against the Electrical connections arev tobe made, as

usual with this class of timers from the contact pieces lE to the usual induction coil, battery and sparking plug, a return circuit being made to the spindle H and through the spindle H, arm J, roller K and the ring L tothe 'contact pieces. As these. rvconnections are used in all timers of this charlacter they have not been shown. v

- The operation of my invention is obvious. As the spindle H rotates, the roller K will have a rolling contact with the interior face of the ring L, and this ring in turning will have a rolling contact with the interior face of the insulating ring F. As the ring L and the roller K rotate, the ringl will contact at hroper predetermined vintervalswith the'coni.

tact screws or other piecesE-to close the circuit and cause a spark to jump. It will be of course understood, that there may be as many contact pieces arranged around the circumference. of the timer as desired. I have shown twoof these contact screws for a two cylinder engine, but of course the number used will correspond withthe number of cylinders. Y

`One of the main advantages of my invention lies in the vfact that. the interior surface of the rin-g F does not wear into ridges as is the case with timers of ordinaiyconstruction. This ridging of the interior face of the insulating ring and of the segmental contacts usually used therewith niakesthe roller of the usual timer jump, thus preventing a good contact and causing the engine to miss fire.v Another advantage incident to the use of the ring is that the pointsA of the contact screws Contact with the ring in a new place at each revolution, and thus the wear is evenly distributed around-'the entire ring and does not come always in one place. A third advantage lies in the capability of adjusting the length of contact. If the screws E are turned inward the ring L will be retarded while the roller K is forced inward and passes over the projection. During this time and until the roller has completely passed the projecting end of the contact screw, the ring is held. By turning the contact screwsinward or outward, therefore it is possible to very accurately adjust the length of contact between the ring and the contact screws.

Vhile I believe that the Iconstruction herewith shown is the preferable one, I do not wish to be limited thereto as it might be varied in many respects without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus in place of vcontact screws, contact segments might be used, though these would not be as good as thecontact screws. It is obvious too that the ring F might be almost entirely composed of Contact segments separated by small insulating pads as is sometimes used in timers of this construction. l y

' As the 4cap B has an oil-tight-engagement with the casing A and as the bushing I projects up beyond the bottom of the casing, oil will be at all times retained within'the casing and thJus the ring, the roller and other partsconnected therewith will .be amply lubricated.

While I have shown and ldescribedl my timer as mounted with the casing horizontal and the spindle H vertical, I do not wishto be limited thereto as it could be used in any position desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 Tn an ignition timer, a circular casing having an'annular wall and a central bearing. an insulating` ring lining' the wall of the casing, a corer closing said casing, contact pieces located in said insulating ring and projecting through to the inside tace thereof, a rotatable spindle mounted in the bearing ot' said casing and having a slotted upper end. an arm moving radially in said slotted end of the spindle, a contact roller carried ou its outer end, a spring mounted on the upper end of the spindler and engaging with said arm to more it radially outward, and a metallic conducting ring in said casing smaller than the sa1ne,surrounding the roller and spindle and rotatable thereby against the inner tace of the insulating ring and the contacts thereof.

2.- In an ignition timer, av circular casing having an annular wall and a central bearing, an insulating' ring lining the'wall of the casing and haring recesses on the outer face thereof, nuts in said recesses, contact screws passing` through said nuts and into the inner tace of the insulating ring, and adapted to receive electrical connections leading to an engine cylinder, a metallic conducting ring in said casing smaller than the diameter of the insulating ring, a spindle located in said bearingand adapted to be placed in circuit with the contact screws, said spindle having a metallic roller thereon adapted to contact.

with the inner face ot the conducting ring.

3. In an ignition timer, and a. centraltubular bearing,l a 4phosphor bronze bushing lining said bearing and rigid j therewith and projecting into said casing.

a circular casing and a spindle rotatable within said bushing l and casing, the end ot' said spindle being enl larged, said enlarged portion having a recess concentric to the axis of the spindle into which the projecting end of said bushing Ishall extend.

Ll. In an ignition timer, a circular casing having an annular wall and a central tubular bearing, acover for closing said casing. contact pieces located in said annular wall and projecting through the inside face thereof, a bushing mounted in said bearing and rigid therewith, said bushing projecting beyond the bottom of said casing, a rotatable spindle `iounted within said bushing and having an enlarged head provided with a circular slot concentric with the axis of the spindle and adapted to receive the projecting end of said bushing, an arm moving radially in guides formed on the upper end ot said spindle, a contact roller carried on the outer end of said arm, a spring mounted on the upper end of the spindle engaging with said arm to move it radially outward-and a metallic conducting ring in said casing smaller than the same surrounding the roller and spindle and rotatable thereby against the inner face of the insulating ring and the contacts thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my -name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LORENZO B. SHIVERS. lVitnesses:

' ARTHUR MYERS,

HARRY CALLAHAN. 

